


Something To Somebody Else

by tabbytabbytabby



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst, Future Fic, How Do I Tag, M/M, Minor Derek Hale/Theo Raeken, Missed Connection, Mutually Unrequited, Pining, Post-Canon, Realization, Sad Ending, Unrequited Love, but not at the same time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:33:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27246583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby/pseuds/tabbytabbytabby
Summary: Two years ago, Liam had reacted badly when Theo kissed him and admitted his feelings. Now, he's coming home ready to fix things and admit to Theo that he'd been wrong. Except when he finds him, things don't go as he was expecting.
Relationships: Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken
Comments: 16
Kudos: 40
Collections: Death or Worse





	Something To Somebody Else

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Underthegallowws](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Underthegallowws/gifts).



> For Mary, who wanted "Not said to me" from [this list](https://tabbytabbytabby.tumblr.com/post/632992481224605696/the-way-you-said-i-love-you) of prompts

Two years. That's how long it's been since Liam has been home to Beacon Hills. Since the last time he saw Theo. His parents, the pack, anyone else he'd care to see came to visit while Liam was at college. Everyone but Theo. 

Not that Liam can blame him. They hadn't exactly left things in the best place. Not since Theo had kissed him the night before he left and told him he thought he loved him. Liam hadn't handled it all that well. He'd shoved Theo off him, punched him in the nose, and told him he didn't love him. All before saying he didn't want to be near him. 

At the time, he'd meant in that moment. He hadn't expected to wake up the next morning and find Theo's room empty. The only thing left was a note on the desk wishing Liam well. 

Liam still has it. Not that he's admitted that to anyone. It's not as if he's spent any amount of time thinking about Theo since he's been gone. 

Sure, he's come up whenever Liam has called his mom or Scott. Liam's heard more from them about Theo than he's heard from the chimera himself. 

Again, Liam can't blame him. If the roles were reversed and Theo had punched Liam after he kissed him and then told him he didn't want to be near him he'd probably be staying the fuck away too. 

Still, Liam has missed him. They were friends before things got screwed up. And… well the thing is, Liam had lied. Not that he knew it at the time. He'd spent so much time lying to himself that it took him a long time to realize just how much he screwed up and the cold hard truth hit him in the face. 

Months of trying to inconspicuously ask about Theo without being obvious about it. Months of checking out Theo's rarely used social media pages. Months of his fingers hovering over Theo's name and wondering if he should call. 

He never did. Because he's a coward. At least when it comes to facing Theo. 

And that's why he hasn't been back to Beacon Hills since he heard Theo moved back. He hasn't been able to bring himself to face him. He doesn't even know what he could say to him. 

"I'm sorry for punching you in the face before and I maybe sorta do love you," doesn't quite feel like enough. 

He's had the last two hours on the plane to think it over, and he still doesn't know by the time the plane lands. Not that he expects to see Theo at the airport. It's not as if Theo's spent all this time pining away for him. Though part of Liam kind of hopes he has. That would at least mean he's not alone in this. That he has a chance.

His parents are standing by baggage claim when Liam walks down. Just seeing their faces eases something in him. His mom pulls him in for a hug before moving back and taking his face in her hands. 

"Oh look at you," she says. "All grown up."

"Mom, you just saw me a few months ago. I haven't changed that much."

Liam laughs and moves to hug his dad, who chuckles and ruffles his hair. "You know she'll always see you as her little boy."

"Oh it's just me, is it?" Jenna rolls her eyes. "As if you didn't spend the first night he was gone in his room crying with me."

"You didn't," Liam says. When they don't say anything, he groans. "You guys kept talking about how happy you would be to have some time to yourselves."

"Well we didn't expect the house to feel _that_ empty," his mother says. 

Liam swallows, knowing what she's implying. He rubs the back of his neck and looks away.

"Have you talked…?" 

"My bag!" Liam cries, relieved for the excuse to escape the questioning. He runs over to where his bag is coming out, not caring it would have eventually made its way to him had he stayed where he was. 

"I guess that's a no," his father mutters.

He hears his mom sigh, "I just don't want him to get hurt, David. Especially when he…"

Their voices get drowned out by a new group of passengers making their way into the area for their bags. Liam frowns as he shoulders his bag. What was his mom going to say? Especially when he what?

He could ask, he knows. But that would only tell them he'd been eavesdropping. And part of him wonders if he's not better off not knowing. 

He's not going to get hurt though. He's going to do things right this time and not screw it up. First, he just has to work up the nerve to find Theo and talk to him. 

It can't be that hard. 

Through some, what Liam considers, innocent questions and snooping Liam does find that Theo is still in town. That’s a start at least. And then that he’s been living in the preserve. 

That confuses Liam, and worries him too. Has Theo been living in his truck again? And people have just let him? 

Liam waits until his parents have retreated to their room for the night, before putting his shoes on and slipping out the door. He doesn’t take his care, though he knows it would probably be quicker. Instead, he shoves his hands into the pockets of his hoodie and he walks. He lets himself take in all the sounds and smells of Beacon Hills, some new and some familiar. There’s one he’s searching for. One his heart has been longing to smell again ever since he left. Or more like, ever since the scent finally vanished from the old t-shirt of Theo’s Liam had stolen. 

How had he been so stupid back then? How had he missed the obvious signs that he was in love with Theo? 

He was afraid, he knows. But that fear had cost them both so much time. Now it’s up to Liam to fix things and hope he can make up for that.

A cool breeze blows and Liam turns his head towards it, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply. He smiles when the familiar scent hits him. Two years and it’s still the same. There’s a difference to it, but Liam can’t place what. Still, he’d know that scent anywhere. It’s Theo. He’s here. He’s close. 

Liam takes off running, chasing the scent through the trees, not caring when low hanging branches brush against his skin. All that matters is getting to Theo. He’s so close now, the scent growing stronger. He can even hear his heart beating nearby, and he smiles. At least until he realizes it’s not just Theo’s heartbeat he hears. There’s someone with him.

Liam slows down his pace, and quietly creeps through the trees. He stops behind one, his confusion growing when he hears another familiar voice.

“There you are. I was wondering where you ran off to.”

“I just wanted some air,” he hears Theo say.

Liam peeks around the tree to see Theo standing on a porch outside what appears to be a newly built house. It has to be. There hasn’t been a house in the preserve in years. Not since they tore down the old Hale house and…

Liam remembers Scott mentioning in passing how Derek had moved back and planned to build a house near where his family home stood. A way of starting over, he’d said. Liam had forgotten. It hadn’t been important. But now, watching the way Theo smiles up at Derek as he steps closer, Liam realizes it had been. 

“Something bothering you?” Derek asks, hooking his arms around Theo’s waist and drawing him in.

Theo shakes his head and puts his hands on Derek’s chest, “No. I was just thinking.”

“About?”

“How much I love it out here,” Theo says. “I know it’s weird because a lot of bad has happened here, but it feels like we’re building something good now.”

“We are,” Derek says. “I had my doubts about building here, you know?” Theo nods, and Liam hears Derek sigh. “But I think my family would be happy I did. That I was finally settling down and letting myself be happy. You’re a big part of that. I know they'd love you.”

Theo smiles and leans in closer, and god Liam should not be watching this, but he can’t make himself look away. He stands frozen, watching as Theo kisses Derek, slow and tender. Nothing like the panicked way he’d kissed Liam years before. Because this isn’t the same Theo. This Theo is happy and…

“I love you,” Theo whispers against his lips, the sound carrying through the wind to Liam’s ears, and Liam has to fight not to gasp. Has to fight back the tears that sting at his eyes. Because those words aren’t his anymore. Maybe they never were.

He sounds so sure when he says the words. No hint of doubt or worry. No fear that they won’t be reciprocated. Because of course they are. That much is sure from the way Derek gazes down at him, his face full of open love and affection.

“And I love you,” Derek replies softly. 

Liam really has to go now. He’s seen all he needs to see. He makes a quiet, but hasty retreat, hoping his presence has gone unnoticed. The last thing he wants is to disturb Theo. He can feel his heart breaking as he walks back down the path, away from Theo, away from the life he’d been hoping for.

But he gave that up. He tossed that possibility away when he’d punched Theo and told him he didn’t love him. And now Theo has moved on. He looks happier and more at ease than Liam had ever seen him before. He deserves that. Derek does too. Liam would be an asshole if he tried to ruin that for them just because he’d realized too late that he loves Theo. 

It’s clear now that whatever Theo felt for Liam back then it wasn’t love. Not really. Liam has to be okay with that. One day he’ll have the strength to face Theo. To apologize for being an ass and ruining their friendship, and to tell him how happy he is for him. For now, he’ll go home and let himself cry his heart out for his lost love. The one he let get away. The one that was never really his to begin with. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos/comments make my day 💜  
> You can find me [here on tumblr](http://tabbytabbytabby.tumblr.com/)


End file.
